Since she became Xavier’s academic advisor in 1985, Fleming, a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, has helped every men’s basketball player, who has reached his final year of athletic eligibility, to graduate. In 1991, then-coach Pete Gillen named Fleming the men’s basketball team’s Most Valuable Player. In 2000, she was inducted into Xavier’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I try to make sure each student feel he or she is a special individual," she says.

Fleming came to Xavier in 1982 after serving as the president of Trinity College in Washington. She joined the Xavier faculty so she could also work toward an MBA and a law degree. She also has a PhD in educational administration from Miami University, which helped her in her counseling role.

The Skyline Chili Crosstown Classic has been named Sports Event of the Year. The annual game between the Xavier Musketeers and the UC Bearcats was known as the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout until last year when it was renamed the Classic after an altercation between players on both teams broke out in the final seconds at Xavier’s Cintas Center in 2011. The game was also recast to show how it benefits all of Cincinnati. Proceeds from the first game, played on Dec. 19 at a neutral site at U.S. Bank Arena, went to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Prior to the game, a collaborative team of students from each school participated in the Bridges Walk for a Just Community, an annual 5K event in October celebrating the rich ethnic and cultural heritage of the Cincinnati region. That was followed in November by an XU-UC Day at the Freedom Center for students, staff and alumni of both schools that included displays about community engagement, service and collaboration at each school and a tour for members of the both schools’ basketball teams.

University of Cincinnati head football coach Tommy Tuberville is the keynote speaker at the banquet, which is at the Sharonville Convention Center. A reception starts at 6:00 p.m. and dinner is at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $75 each or $700 for a table of 10. VIP tickets also are available by contacting the Greater Cincinnati Sports Corporation at 513-345-3054.

Other awards will be given to Reds announcer Marty Brennaman, Cincinnati Bell Technology Services, Bob Castellini and Walt Jocketty, Dave Lapham, and the area’s 2012 Olympians.